


let me love the lonely

by cathedralhearts



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Curtain Fic, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-10
Updated: 2017-01-10
Packaged: 2018-09-16 14:57:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,599
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9277052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cathedralhearts/pseuds/cathedralhearts
Summary: While he’s barely home during the season, and the comings and goings of his gated community neighbours aren’t exactly high on his list of Things To Give A Shit About, he has noticed the new family moving in next door.





	

Sidney usually really loves first snow in Pittsburgh, if only because of the fresh smell and touch of the powder clinging to his lawns and windowsills. He usually forgets how ridiculously inconvenient it becomes, though. When he’s heading to his car to get to morning skate the night after a heavy fall, he’s met with a solid eight inches on the ground. Luckily for him, he has an SUV, but he’ll have to get someone to shovel his sidewalk and driveway.

He’s idling in the driveway as his gates shut, tapping out a text to Austin Lemieux, seeing if he wants to earn some extra cash for an hour’s work, when movement catches his attention. He looks over and sees a tall guy bundled up in a jacket, shovelling his sidewalk. Sidney bites his lip.

While he’s barely home during the season, and the comings and goings of his gated neighbourhood aren’t exactly high on his list of _Things To Give A Shit About_ , he had noticed the new family moving in next door.

Mrs. Browning, the rich widow who lived on the other side, had told him the ‘scoop’ about them, with her usual air of theatrics.

“ _Poor_ _man_. Absolutely terrible what happened. His husband abandoned the family when they were living in New York and took off to London... with his _boss_. He’d been cheating for at least two years. Absolutely rattled young Evgeni,” Mrs. Browning sighed at Sidney as he’d been collecting his mail a week ago.

“Ev… eh?” Sidney had said, and Mrs. Browning laughed.

“ _Evgeni_. He’s Russian, said to call him Geno. Easier for us to muddle through. Anyway, the divorce finalised a few weeks ago and he moved to Pittsburgh. He works with an immigration agency, but the husband was rich and he got a great payout. Bought the house here with some of it, put the rest into a trust for the children’s college funds.”

“Kids?” Sidney asked before he could stop himself. Mrs. Browning patted his arm and rubbed her own, the chill in the air never really gone.

“Of course. He’s got three, two boys and a girl. Eldest is the girl, her name is Tatiana. She’s eight, I think? Then there’s twin boys, they’re six. Alexei and Valeri. They’ve all got those nicknames though, they don’t answer by their real names."

Sidney’s zoned out at the memory for so long that he almost jumps out his skin when a knock comes to the passenger window, jolting him out his daze. Standing there is the man in question, big brown eyes peeking out from under his toque, with red cheeks. Sidney rolls down the glass and steels himself.

“Everything okay? I’m see you sit here, I'm a bit worried,” Geno says. His accent is thick but his English is good enough that Sidney doesn’t need to ask him to repeat himself. 

“Oh, yeah. Uh, I’m just trying to find someone to shovel my driveway. I don’t have time, ah…” Sidney trails off, embarrassed. Geno just laughs, leaning on Sidney’s window.

“Big important hockey player, of course. Sidney Crosby not have time to shovel sidewalk. I can do for you, I’m almost finish with mine?” Geno jabs a thumb over his shoulder, and sure enough, Geno’s driveway and sidewalk are clear and neat.

“Oh, I couldn’t possibly…” Sidney trails off, embarrassed, but Geno waves a hand.

“No trouble. I’m not work today, Tanya sick with flu. Twins already gone to school. Can repay later,” Geno says with a wink. Sidney flushes at the suggestion.

“Uh— oh, God, I guess, but… are you _sure_?”

“Is _fine_. Go, can’t be late to rink.” Geno taps the car door and steps back, waving as Sidney reverses. Sidney waves back and drives off down the road, his skin prickling and his mind racing, trying to figure out if Geno was flirting or just being nice.

 

* * *

 

When he gets home, his sidewalk and driveway look as immaculate as Geno’s. He closes the carport and wanders around his house, shucking off his gear and drumming his fingers on the kitchen counter as he drains a Gatorade. It’s after four, so the kids would be home… if Geno knows hockey, they probably know hockey too? Maybe he could just sign some gear and call it even. He doesn’t want to overstep this— whatever this is.

He pulls his jacket back on and shoves his feet in his sneakers, dashing across the cul de sac to knock on Geno’s door. It opens a few moments later to reveal a girl wrapped in a blanket, glaring balefully up at him. Her jaw drops and her eyes widen as she takes him in, dropping her blanket.

“Sidney Crosby,” she says, voice full of awe. Sidney grins, unable to help himself. He nods and waves at her.

“Hey. You must be Tatiana. Is your dad around?”

She nods, mouth still open, and yells something behind her in Russian. From somewhere inside the house he hears Geno call back, and he appears just as Sidney’s asking her if she’s feeling better.

“My nose is still stuffy and I have a cough, but I’m okay. I’m tough,” she says, baring her teeth. Sidney laughs and watches as Geno rolls his eyes and picks her up.

“Tanya, not suppose to open door to everyone.”

“But it’s _Sidney Crosby_ ,” she hisses at Geno, fingers tangling in his sweatshirt. Geno sighs, put upon, and steps to the side.

“Come in,” he offers.

“Oh, I was just, uh. I was going to thank you for the thing earlier this morning, I don’t want to intrude…” Sidney says as Geno reaches out with his free hand to tug at the hem of Sidney’s jacket.

“Come inside. I'm just make tea, twins are playing in den. Will be happy to meet you,” Geno says, putting Tanya down. She goes running off down the corridor, skidding around a corner and yelling something in Russian that makes Geno laugh.

“Is okay?” he asks, as Sidney’s hanging up his jacket and taking off his shoes.

“Of course,” Sidney says. It’s no secret he loves kids.

He follows Geno into the kitchen, and is watching him make him a cup of tea when Tanya reappears, breathless. She descends into a coughing fit, one that makes Geno frown, and he pulls her up to sit on the counter and opens a cupboard, reaching for cough syrup.

“Should not run, Tanya. Sidney not going anywhere,”

“But _Papa_ ,” she whines at him. Sidney ducks and hides his smile in his teacup, not failing to notice the smile at the edge of Geno’s mouth.

Footsteps thunder up the passageway Tanya just appeared from, and two little boys appear. They both look like tiny versions of Geno, except they’ve got big blue eyes, whereas Tanya’s dirty blonde hair is matched with Geno’s eye colour.

“Sidney Crosby!” they both yell.

Sidney waves at them, hurrying to put down his teacup in case they rush him. “Hi guys. How are you?”

“Awesome. Can you play ball hockey?” the one on the left demands, holding up a tiny stick. Geno scolds him for being rude and he shrinks back, but his brother steps forward and tugs on Sidney’s jeans.

“ _Please_ , Sidney Crosby?”

Sidney looks at Geno, who’s smiling hopelessly, Tanya sticking her tongue inside the medicine cup to lap up the last drops of cherry flavoured liquid. 

“Only if you promise to go easy on me,” Sidney concedes. Cheers go up around the kitchen.

 

* * *

 

Over the next few months, Sidney becomes _Si-id_ to the Malkins, Geno included. He’s addicted to the family and the warmth of their house, and spends almost every night he’s in Pittsburgh there. He eats dinner with them and plays ball hockey, while helping Tanya with her reading and Alex and Val with their ABC’s. He’s rubbish with their diminutives, so they ‘allow’ him to use their English nicknames. (Geno has to work hard to stifle his laughter every time they scold Sidney on his attempts at Russian, but Sidney’s so far gone he doesn’t mind a bit.)

He gets them tickets to home games against the glass, a standing reservation for as long as Geno wants them, and the first time they come is right before Christmas. Sidney does a double take when he spots them just to the left of Flower’s goal, and skates right to the glass and pushes his helmet up to wave at them.

“ _Si-id!_ ” the kids scream at him, banging their hands against the class. They’re all in tiny Crosby jerseys, and Val’s got his stick while Alex ducks errant elbows from his brother and sister. Geno’s wearing a Pens t-shirt, but there’s a C emblazoned on the chest and Sidney’s stomach goes tight. It’s a shirsey, which means Sidney's last name is stretched tight across Geno’s back. _Shit_.

“Score us goals,” Geno yells. Sidney rolls his eyes but skates off to rejoin his team.

“So, when Duper said you were trying to court some Russian dude with a team full of kids, he wasn’t lying…” Tanger says as they loop around the ice.

“Fuck off,” Sidney says, refusing to rise to the bait. Tanger snorts, loud enough for Sidney to hear him over the noise of a half-full rink, and he knows that particular conversation is definitely not over yet.

 

* * *

 

Sidney’s on IR with a strained elbow, of all things, and bored out of his mind. He’s been texting Geno all morning while the Discovery Channel drones in the background. At 2:45pm, he gets a phone call, Geno’s face flashing up on the screen.

“Sid, ah. Sorry to ask this, but could you do favour?” Geno sounds nervous, and Sidney frowns.

“Of course. What’s up?”

“I’m going to meeting, will be late to pick up kids. Could you pick up for me, if not too sore?”

Sidney had gone over to Geno’s as soon as he got home the other day, pissed and frustrated at the injury, and had let Geno fuss over him until the anger drained away. Val cuddled up to him while they watched Adventure Time, and Geno made their favourite for dinner— beef stroganoff. Sidney’s probably inserted himself too thoroughly into the Malkins’ lives, and if this dance he and Geno are doing doesn’t work out, it’ll kill him to go back to his empty house. His empty _life_.

“Absolutely. I’ll leave now, ‘cos I’ll probably get lost on the way,” Sidney sighs. Geno laughs.

“Oh, Sid. I’ll make up to you… kids are staying with Seryozha tonight, going on camp. Away for whole weekend.”

The silence hangs between them as Sidney parses what Geno’s telling him.

“Are you… are you sure, Geno?” he asks, feeling like he's almost unable to breathe.

Geno hums an agreement. “Been sure a long time. My kids love you. I want… I want too, Sid.”

 

*

 

Sidney waits in the carpool lane and leans out the side of his car, spotting Tanya straight away.

“Tanya!” he yells, waving. She spots him and waves back, grabbing Val’s backpack and tugging him towards Sidney’s car. Alex comes running after them, clutching his stick in one hand and his backpack in the other.

“Sid, where’s Papa?” Alex asks as Sidney hops out the car and opens the back seat. He’d gone to Geno’s garage and found the spare booster seats for the twins, spacing them out so Tanya could sit between them.

“Papa’s running late from work, so I’m gonna take you home and get dinner ready. But Papa will be back to take you to Sergei’s,” Sidney says, hoisting Val into his seat and watching as he clips himself in. Tanya dumps her gear in the front seat and Sidney points at the back.

“C’mon kiddo, no front seat until you’re twelve. Papa told me,” Sidney says. Tanya whines but obeys, her hair flying free of her braid and paint smeared on her shirt collar.

“You guys wanna get some froyo?” he asks, looking in the rearview as they pull out the school.

“Yes!” all three of them cheer, and Sidney grins as he heads towards the nearest Razzy Fresh. They sit inside; Sidney gets asked for autographs and pictures four times, but the kids are busy with their yoghurt and tell Sidney about their days, including Val’s near death brush with a bee and Tanya’s upcoming ballet recital.

“Can you come, Sid?” she asks, as they’re heading back to the car. Val’s holding onto his hand and Alex has the other, while Tanya skips ahead.

“If it’s not completely sold out, and I’m not out of town for hockey, absolutely.”

 

*

 

Sidney’s feeding them mac and cheese with broccoli when Geno gets home, yawning and looking utterly exhausted.

“Hi, Papa,” the kids chorus, but don’t move from their bowls. Tanya’s coated hers in ketchup and Alex has cheese in his hair, but it’s been a relatively hassle free dinner. Sidney’s got steaks in the pan for him and Geno.

“You cook for us?” Geno asks, peering at the food. Sidney nods, biting his lip. Geno’s eyes track the movement, dark and purposeful, and he heads upstairs to change. By the time he gets the kids packed and drives them to Sergei’s, only a block away, Sidney’s setting their dinner at the table and is pouring the wine when Geno reappears.

“Thank you, Sid. Mean a lot to me,” Geno rumbles, coming up behind him. Sidney pushes back and sighs as Geno wraps his arms around Sidney’s waist, dropping a kiss to Sidney’s neck.

He puts the wine down and turns in Geno’s arms, pulling him in to kiss him with a smile on his face. _Finally._

 

* * *

 

Sidney’s in the front row for Tanya’s recital. Alex is sitting on his knee, asleep against Sidney’s chest, while Geno has an arm around Val, who’s tucked in close to his papa. They watch Tanya dance across the stage, a vision in pink tulle, and a bun that had taken them both the better part of twenty minutes and half a can of hairspray to stick.

Geno’s free hand is laced with Sidney’s, hidden between them in the darkness. Sidney can barely contain the happiness threatening to spill out from him, even being in public and holding hands with another man and his family. Tanya pirouettes off the stage, a huge grin on her face, dazzling them all with her joy. Sidney just squeezes Geno's hand all the tighter. He can't wait to meet her after, tell her how beautiful she looked, and take her out for ice cream with her brothers.

Geno leans over and presses a kiss to the side of Sidney's head. "No chocolate ice cream," he mutters, making Sidney roll his eyes, jostling Alex a little to get feeling back in his leg. Geno has always known how to read his mind. Geno just smiles back, his face dappled in the soft stage lighting for the kids. "Maybe just one scoop," Sidney hedges, pressing his cheek against Alex's head and trying to look as pathetic as possible. 

"Just one," Geno relents, clicking his tongue in mock disapproval. Sidney knows he loves chocolate ice cream even more than his kids. He may be a sucker for a Malkin, but he's not  _that_ much of a sucker. 

"Just one," Sidney echoes, quietening down as the kids run back on stage, Tanya front and centre again. She catches their eyes and gives an excited wave, making both Geno and Sidney laugh. _This family_ , Sidney chuckles to himself, _and how it all started over a snow-covered driveway_. 

**Author's Note:**

> This isn't "new" - it was originally posted on my Tumblr as a snippet of something larger, but as with pretty much everything I work on, life got in the way and waylaid me. I've added a few bits but nothing major; I really loved the simplicity and sweetness. 
> 
> My plan is to start moving my stuff onto AO3 this month, so expect that as well. Multiple pairings etc al.
> 
> On brand at Tumblr and Twitter, if you're interested.


End file.
